Union Station (Seattle) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Union Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
The building's exterior in 2016
Location in Washington (state) Show map of Washington (state) Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	4th Ave. S. and S. Jackson St. Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Built	1910–11
Architect	Daniel J. Patterson
Architectural style	Beaux-Arts
NRHP reference No.	74001960
Added to NRHP	August 30, 1974

Union Station is a famous old train station in Seattle, Washington, USA. It was built a long time ago, between 1910 and 1911. This station was made for two big train companies: the Union Pacific Railroad and the Milwaukee Road.

At first, it was called Oregon and Washington Station. This name came from a smaller train line that belonged to Union Pacific. Today, Union Station is no longer a train station. Instead, it is the main office for Sound Transit. This is the company that runs public transportation like buses and trains in Seattle.

History of Union Station

Interior of Union Station, seen from the front door.

Union Station is located in a cool part of Seattle called Pioneer Square. It officially opened its doors on May 20, 1911. For many years, it was a busy place with trains coming and going.

When Trains Stopped Coming

The Milwaukee Road train company stopped using Union Station first. Their last passenger train left on May 22, 1961. Then, the Union Pacific trains also stopped coming. Their last train left on April 30, 1971.

After that, the big building became mostly empty. For a few years, an antique store used the main hall. But for almost 30 years, the station was very quiet.

Bringing the Station Back to Life

Finally, the station got a huge makeover! A company called Nitze-Stagen helped with the project. They also got money from Paul Allen, who helped start Microsoft.

The renovation was a big success. In 2000, Union Station won a special award. It was called the National Historic Preservation Award. This award is given to projects that save important old buildings.

Since 1999, the building has been the main office for Sound Transit. The beautiful main hall is also used for public events. People can even rent it for weddings!

More Than Just One Building

When people say "Union Station" in Seattle, they often mean more than just the main train station building. It also refers to several office buildings nearby. These buildings are located on 5th Avenue South.

From 2000 to 2011, Amazon.com was a major renter in these buildings. Most of them were owned by Opus Northwest, and one by Vulcan. The whole group of buildings is built to be very strong. They are even earthquake-proofed with a special underground ring of rubber!

Other Nearby Train Stations

Even though Union Station doesn't have passenger trains anymore, Seattle still has train service. Amtrak long-distance trains and Sounder commuter trains use King Street Station. This station is just one block west of Union Station.

There's also a train and bus station right next to Union Station. It's called the International District/Chinatown station. This station opened in 1990. Buses from King County Metro use it. Since 2009, Sound Transit's Central Link light rail line also stops there. It's mostly located underground.